Cuddle

Arron Blake writes, directs and stars in this short drama, the cast if which includes Theodore Slyvain and Mark Gatiss.

To a degree, the plot is reminiscent of the 2013 Oscar-winning feature Her. The setting is Britain and a program, an app, has been developed that enables customers to hire people for a limited time and they hug each other. According to a news report in the film, the intention was to improve the well-being of those who are suffering from loneliness. One person who takes a shot at this is Oliver (Blake), a young homosexual and painter.

The screenplay examines how Oliver is influenced by his experiences with having a stranger (stranger's name is Nate and he is played by Theodore Slyvain) in his home with the sole intention of embracing. Initially, he changes his mind and refuses to participate but later ends up embracing (no pun intended) the arrangement and seems to find joy in it, until something happens. The viewing is dramatic and thoughtful and gets quite intimate at times.

The dramatic music by Filipe Silva adds to the atmosphere and so does Darius Shu's moody cinematography. Effective use of slow motion takes place in montage sequences.

The rapport that develops between Oliver and Nate is a primary aspect. Oliver appears to be struggling to form a relationship, constantly meeting with one man after another, all leading to nothing more than sexual encounters. After meeting Nate, Oliver seems to have found something, or at least the believes he has, until he realises that he was mistaken. He is a lonely man whose main company appears to be his AI home device and he does not seem to know what he longs for. Sylvain's character is an employee, a youngster who listens to Oliver's thoughts, but ultimately, he stays loyal to his job, without commitments.

This is a story about connection, about yearning to connect with people, about meeting someone special and about self-reflection and frustration. Through Mark Gatiss's character, the film points out how much people are distracted by technology, with him constantly looking at his phone while Oliver tries to communicate with him.

A short drama about connection that is (in certain ways) also a romance. In the end, it is about a man struggling to comprehend what it is that he is looking for.